St. Martinville Car Accident Lawyer

Car Accident Attorney in St. Martinville, LA

Getting into a car accident is never fun. If you’ve been seriously injured, you’ll need access to substantial medical care, which can quickly become expensive. The good news is that if you were less than 51% to blame for your accident, you may be eligible to recover compensation that could help you pay medical bills, make up for lost wages, and move on with your life. A St. Martinville car accident lawyer can help you file a claim against the liable party.

You Can Trust Chris Villemarette, Trial Lawyer

You can trust Chris Villemarette to assist you with every aspect of your car accident claim. He has been practicing personal injury law since 1994, and in that time, he has seen many car accident cases. Even if you have a uniquely complex case, such as one involving a rideshare driver or a commercial vehicle, Chris Villemarette, Trial Lawyer has what it takes to determine liability and hold the party responsible accountable for the harm they’ve caused you.

Reasons to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer

St. Martinville is not the safest place to drive a car. Just one stretch of I-10 in St. Martin Parish has claimed the lives of 15 people in the past five years, making it among the deadliest roads in Louisiana. In 2023, there was only one fatal crash in St. Martinville itself. However, because the area is still known for its dangerous roads, the town’s residents still find themselves involved in serious crashes with regularity.

If you’re one of the many St. Martinville residents who has gotten into a motor vehicle crash in the area, you can hire a car accident lawyer to help you file a claim against the party responsible for your injuries. Your lawyer can help you:

• Determine liability
• File paperwork
• Collect evidence
• Interview witnesses
• Construct a narrative of the events that shows you were not to blame
• Negotiate a good settlement with the liable party’s insurance company
• Represent you in court should your case go to trial

Having a skilled lawyer on your side is the top way to improve your chances of getting a fair settlement from the responsible driver’s insurance company.

Common Causes of Car Accidents in St. Martinsville

Car accidents happen for all kinds of reasons, but most of them occur due to driver error. Common causes of car accidents in St. Martinsville include:

• Driving while distracted. Distracted driving often involves talking on the phone, but distractions can range from eating to speaking with a passenger or even reading roadside billboards.
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It is always illegal to drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol in Louisiana, which has a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit of 0.08%.
• Driving while fatigued. Fatigued driving is as dangerous as drunk driving. It can lead to potentially serious accidents.
• Not having adequate experience as a driver. Younger drivers and those without much experience behind the wheel are more likely to cause crashes.
• Failure to adjust to weather conditions. St. Martinville sees some serious storms. It’s up to drivers to adjust their driving to accommodate rain and other inclement weather.

Road conditions and mechanical failures can also contribute to accident risk. If your car had a mechanical failure and that led to your accident, you may be able to hold the automotive manufacturer liable or, if it was a replacement part, the parts manufacturer or the mechanic who installed it. If poor road conditions played a role, you may be able to file a claim against the St. Martinville Parish Government’s public works department, which oversees road maintenance.

FAQs

What Is the New Law in Louisiana for Car Accidents?

The new law in Louisiana for car accidents went into effect in 2026. It made Louisiana a modified comparative negligence state, which means that people who are determined to be more than 50% responsible for their car accidents can no longer file claims against other potentially liable parties. The change was made in an effort to help lower the state’s high auto insurance premiums.

Can You Get Spinal Stenosis From a Car Accident?

You can get spinal stenosis from a car accident. The high-impact force can cause vertebral fractures, dislocations, and severe herniated discs. These factors can, in turn, narrow the spinal canal and compress the nerves, causing stenosis.

The symptoms of spinal stenosis following a car accident are often delayed by days or even weeks. Ruling out this potentially serious complication is just one of many good reasons you should go to a doctor even if you aren’t sure you’ve been injured.

What Is the Three-Collision Rule?

The three-collision rule refers to the stages of a car crash. First, the vehicular impact occurs. Next, people collide with parts of the vehicle or, if they weren’t wearing their seatbelts, occasionally with the ground. Finally, the accident victims’ internal organs impact the rest of their bodies, causing potentially serious medical consequences.

Is Louisiana a No-Fault Accident State?

Louisiana is not a no-fault accident state. The driver who caused the accident is financially liable for all the damages that resulted from it. You can, however, still collect damages if you were partially to blame, as long as you were less than 51% at fault. Your final settlement amount will simply be decreased commensurate with the percentage of blame you are assigned for the accident.

Your St. Martinville Car Accident Lawyer

If you’ve gotten into a car wreck, you have more important things to focus on than the minutiae of filing a successful car accident claim. Let a St. Martinville car accident lawyer handle the details while you focus on what’s important: healing from your injuries.

Chris Villemarette, Trial Lawyer, is here to help. In his decades in practice, Chris Villemarette has taken on countless car accident cases. In that time, he has developed a reputation for providing compassionate, client-centered legal services and aggressive representation in negotiations and at trial. Find out how he can help with your car accident case. Contact the firm today to schedule an initial consultation.